Those who are left behind
by Ekho
Summary: Oneshot. Minverva McGonagall reflects after the final battle, and she tries to help one fractured family.


Those who are left behind

Minerva McGonagall was tired.

Yes, the war had been won, and Voldemort defeated, but at what cost? Walking among those lost during the war she saw friends, people she had known and loved, and students. Her students, she couldn't help but think, people she had taught, people she had seen grow. She couldn't even say grow up. Many of those lost had been little more than children.

"Minerva," came a voice from behind her.

"Yes Poppy," She sighed

"many of the families are being contacted now, I just thought..."

Minerva knew what Poppy was going to say. One mother still had to be notified, one mother who had lost more that Minerva could ever have imagined.

"I am going to see Andromeda now," she replied. Her voice was weary as she glanced over her shoulder, to see a patch of pink hair. She had put off this visit long enough, but no one else had really wanted to inform Andromeda Tonks that her sister had murdered her daughter.

Harry had offered, of course. That boy had more courage than anyone else she knew, but Minerva knew that this was not a child's task, and as much as Harry experienced he was still that.

Leaving school grounds she apparated to a suburban, muggle neighbourhood. Entering the garden path and hearing the cries of a newborn infant, she couldn't help but remember a similar scene at the end of the first war. She had been the one to tell Augusta Longbottom that her son and daughter-in-law had been driven insane, leaving Neville to be raised by his grandmother. Bellatrix had been responsible for that tragedy as well.

Barely had she touched the door when it flew open, revealing an exhausted Andromeda Tonks. People still to this day commented on the her resemblance to her sister, however Minerva disagreed. Where Bella's grey eyes were cold and haughty, Andromeda's brown ones were warm and kind. Even as students, before their family had been torn apart, the difference was evident.

"Is she...Is Nymphadora alive?" The words seemed to escape from Andromeda's mouth, whilst the hope left her face.

"Maybe you should sit down, Andromeda," both women knew what was coming now, " I am so sorry to have to tell you this, but Nymphadora is dead, as is Remus."

Silence.

Minerva couldn't help but go on. "They both died a heroes death." She winced as she said it, knowing that the type of death was irrelevant.

Andromeda just seemed to sit, eerily quiet, her eyes lost as if looking for her lost daughter. Eventually her head snapped up. "Who was it? Who killed her?" It was more a challenge than a question, almost as if she knew the answer.

"Your..Bellatrix." She decided against commenting on the family connection, "who is also now dead, she was killed by Molly Weasley."

"She was killed?" Came an astonished reply, "By Molly?"

Minerva couldn't help but stiffen, it was tone more likely to be heard in Narcissa than her kinder sister. Her voice was steelier when she replied, "Yes, Molly is quite a capable witch."

"I know that, its just...I grew up with Bellatrix, she was always the talented one. Always the powerful one. After she joined you-know-who her abilities just seemed to grow, I never really imagined her dying."

She was right, of course. Minerva could still remember the uncanny abilities of young Bellatrix Black. She had been quite extraordinary at one point. However, Minerva never thought anyone would mourn the monster she became, let alone the mother of one of her victims.

"She returned from Azkhaban quite broken in the mind," Minerva noted, "death probably served as a release."

She almost bit her tongue after a look from Andromeda.

"I am well aware of what my sister had become, thank you Minerva. That creature wasn't the Bella I knew. Voldemort poisoned her, turned her away from anything that made her human until she barely knew what family was. I knew she would go after Nymphadora, thats why I begged my daughter not to go, not to get involved in that bloody war. It had already killed so many of my friends, my husband, my cousin, but no, she had to fight, to..." Tears engulfed Andromeda.

Reaching out to comfort the women, Minerva knew there was nothing she, or anyone else could ever do to fix this.

"I am so sorry for your loss," It was the only thing left to really say.

Finally what she calmed down, Andromeda looked at the older woman, "Thank you for coming here to tell me."

Nodding, Minerva got up to leave, she had already stayed longer than planned. "If you ever need anything, help with the baby, anything really, all you need to do is ask."

Andromeda just nodded.

"Is Narcissa alive?" The question surprised Minerva.

"She is," she swiftly responded. "She helped Harry in the final battle, gaining herself and her family an exemption from punishment."

It was a decision that had ruffled many feathers, however Minerva couldn't help but agree with it. Narcissa was no death eater, her decisions may have been poor but they had been focused on her family's survival. A notion most people could understand.

"Good," came Andromeda's response.

Leaving the house, Minerva reflected on that last question, and how much the women behind her had lost. Perhaps, hopefully she would regain a sister.

When she re-entered the great hall, she approached one table with only a few people sitting at it.

"Narcissa," she said, "Can we talk."

The woman opposite her hardly bore any resemblance to the ice queen she once was. Oh, the beauty was still there, and the elegance, but stress had added creases to her face, and her eyes were now laced with an uncertainty and loss.

Rising from the table, the younger woman responded, "Can I help you professor?"

"I don't know, I have just come from talking with Andromeda and-"

"How is she?" Suddenly pain flashed through those eyes.

"Alive," Minerva responded dryly, "and in pain."

Narcissa just nodded, not quite meeting her eyes.

"I couldn't save her...its my fault."

"What is?"

"Bella, she was my sister and I loved her, but I couldn't stop her from joining him, or killing my niece, Andromeda must hate me."

Suddenly that pain became clearer. It wasn't just grief of her sister's death, but rather the knowing that she wasn't enough to save her.

Minerva did not know what to say, and had little interest in helping anyone grieve over Bellatrix Lestrange.

"I doubt you could have helped Bellatrix-" As Narcissa opened her mouth to interrupt, Minerva help a hand up.

"And Andromeda does not hate you, she seemed quite happy to hear you had survived."

"What do you want me to do Minerva?"

By this point her temper was close to the surface. Voice raised McGonagall replied, "Go to her of course. She is your sister and has lost a great deal-just as you have. I thought regaining a sister might help both of you."

With that she left the table, and the remnants of a fractured family, and her returned to her students.

Minerva McGonagall couldn't help but smile. Yes, people had been lost but looking around at those who had survived, seeing their pain mixed with relief she realised that it was the dawn of a new era.


End file.
